Improvement in portable broqivl-heads



Elflvrrnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

ELDRIDGE J. MERIOK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND BENNAJAH G. MERRIOK.

IMPROVEMENT' IN PORTABLE BRQOM-HEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 162,490, dated April 27, 1875; application filed January l0, 1873.

able Broom-Heads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same.

My invention consists of a broom-head, con structed, arranged, and operating as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvement with a portion broken away to show the interior arrangement; Fig. 2, a vertical cross-section; Fig. 8, a cross-section of the retainer; Fig. 4, a plan of the wirestiffener.

A represents the handle, and B B the jaws. The latter are made of sheet metal or any other suitable ma-terial, and extend down so as to form a socket, which incloses and clamps the upper part of the broom-stuff. rlhey are pivoted together at a by screws, which pass through both thicknesses and strike into a cross-head, C. By this means the jaws may be thrown o`pen, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, for the insertion ot' the broomstuff. rlhe cross -head O extends entirely across the inside of the socket; and to the upper side of the cross-head is attached a rigid screw, D, upon which screws the end of the handle. The end of the handle is made tapering to form a wedge, and passes through a corresponding socket, b, which is formed on one of the jaws B, the upper end c of the other jaw simply resting against it loose, and beingpressed out by the wedge action ot' the handle in entering. The jaws thus form levers working on the pivots a as a fulcrum; and when the broom-stuff is all arranged in place the closing of the jaws clamp it, and a screw or bolt, d, is then inserted through a hole formed through the handle and the upper ends of the jaws. The whole is then trmly secured together. Beneath the cross-head, and within the lower ends of the jaws, is located a retainer, E, which consists of a strip of metal bent double, as shown at f, and leaving its upper edges g g folded or turned over in opposite directions to inclose nails or brads h h, which are inserted from the inside, standing outward in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 3. The heads of the nails or brads are inclosed between the upper folds of the retainer, and therefore cannot escape. This retainer is located across the socket formed by the jaws, and the nails or brads pointing in opposite directions strike into and hold the broom stuff from being drawn out when clamped by the jaws. They are also of importance in holding the broom-stuf properly spread, and preventing any slipping or derangement ot' the same. The teeth or nails might be attached permanently to thejaws themselves, standing inward to catch and hold the broomstuft`, but they would not be so effective, for the reasons hereinafter stated. When the retainer is in place and the broomstuff fully clamped screws t' t' op opposite sides are screwed through the jaws into the lowes iiange of the retainer. I prefer to use two screws on a side, dividing the space properly, the opposite screws being so located that they will not interfere.

I employ for long broom-stuff a wire-stift'- ener, G, the ends of which pass up into the sockettormed by the jaws, and have loops j j fitting over the screws a a, while the head extends centrally through the broom-stuft', and by resting below the lower edges of the jaws serves to stiften the broom. The upper ends are made to adjust up and down by means of the loops jj, and are clalnped in any position by the screws a a. The head is also made to adjust to different Widths of the broom by making it in two lengths, l l, overlapping each other, and having loops or eyes m m, which slide, respectively, upon the opposite lengths, as clearly shown in Fig. 4t. As the stii'ener is drawn up in the jaws the head will be ccntracted in its width by the sliding together of the parts constituting the head, and as the ends are let down from the jaws the head will correspondingly expand. The device is, therefore, adjustable to brooms of diiferent lengths, and it will adapt itself to place automatically. This device forms one feature of my invention.

The method of applying the broom-stuff is as follows: rj he handle is removed and the jaws opened, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. A layer of broom-stuit', constituting one-half the broom-head, is then laid latwise inside one of the jaws, being suitably spread. The retainer E is then inserted, the teeth on one side being passed through the broom-stuft' already laid. The other layer of broom-stuff is then inserted on top the upper layer of teeth of the retainer; and when the full amount of the material is applied the jaws are closed by the insertion of the wedging end ofthe handle into socket b and the forcing out ot' end c by said handle. When the jaws are fully closed the screw or bolt d, and the screws 'i i, are applied, as before described, and the broom is complete.

A great advantage of the separate retainer E is that it allows the broom to he built up in two distinct layers, one after another, and therefore with great uniformity and evenness, which could not be so well done it' the teeth were attached fast to the jaws themselves.

It also holds the corn better, and is more effective in preventing lateral displacement.

This broom, from the great ease with which the broom-stuft' is applied, can be put up even by a child, and requires no trimming o' of the lower ends, which is the case with most portable brooms.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The cross-head C, screw D,wirestiffener G, and the retainer E, constructed of a metallic plate or sheet bent double, and having the folds g g turned to inclose the headed nails or teeth h h1, the whole combined with the wedging-handle A and pivoted jaws B B, inthe Y manner and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: ELDRlDGE J. MERICK.

R. F. Oscoop, ARCHIE BAINE. 

